UNDP in Iraq

UNDP supports protection of Syrian refugees in northern Iraq

13 Nov 2013

A young girl in Iraq's Kurdistan Region. Photo by UNDP Iraq

UNDP has launched activities to support Syrian women and girl refugees inside and outside refugee camps in Erbil, Duhok and Sulaymaniyah in response to the on-going crisis in Syria and the influx of refugees to Iraq’s Kurdistan Region.

UNDP is helping to enhance the protection of Syrian women and girls from sexual gender-based violence and trafficking. Funds are being utilised to provide emergency prevention and protection measures targeting women and girls vulnerable to abuse, human rights violations and exploitation.

UNDP is assisting the rapid establishment of mechanisms to continuously monitor the situation of women and girl refugees within and outside refugee camps who are prone to sexual and gender-based violence, including trafficking, forced and under-age marriages, rape, abduction, and sexual slavery.

To strengthen capacity within host communities to tackle these challenges, UNDP is providing extra support to the Directorate for Combating Violence Against Women as well the Directorate of Labour & Social Affairs in Kurdistan Region.

The project is conducted in partnership with the Kurdistan Region’s civil society organisations and the government Directorate for Combating Violence Against Women.